Bolster



LLG. MILLER. BOLSTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN-26, 1922.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922 Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

sealer PATENT BOLSTER.

Application fi1ed January 26, 1922.

To all whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, LOUIS G. hLlILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of i vestniont, county of Qumbria, and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bolsters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. My invention relates to bolsters preferably formed of pressed steel and of what is known as the bath-tub type. My invention generally relates to the construction of the end portions of a bolster which are made of a width sufficient to accommodate five or six helical springs of the large and heavy type. suchas are used with large capacity cars, and to accomplish this the end portions of the bolster which bear directly or indirectly upon the springs are made wider, so that the required number of springs can be placed under each end of the bolster to meet the requirements of use with heavy loads.

Bolsters of thistype heretofore made have had their webs substantially parallel, so that the end width of the bolster proper was comparatively narrow and could not accommodate five or more springs of the required size, whereas I spread the webs at the end portions so the ends are wider than heretofore for the purposes mentioned.

My invention also includes a strengthening and stiffening member attached to each end of the bolster, which is so constructed as to serve as column guides therefor. The body portion of the bolster is of the usual bath-tub type, consisting of a U-shaped section, preferably formed of pressed metal, deeper at its center than at its ends and with a cover plate riveted to the outstanding t'op flanges and provided with the usual cent r plate, diaphragm and side bearings secured thereto.

Although my invention is applicable to bolsters of the bath-tub type, which are deeper at the center than at the ends, I wish it understoodthat the invention may also be applied to bolsters of the more parallel type, which are of substantially uniform depth throughout.

Having thus given a general description of my invention, I will now, in order to make the matter more clear, refer to the annexed sheetof drawings, which form part Serial No. 531,972.

of this specification, and in which like characters refer to like parts Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved bolster; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the bolster shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the bolster shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now to the characters of reference on the drawings :1 is the main member of the bolster of U-shaped section deeper at its center than at the ends and with integral outstanding flanges 2 to which are riveted the top cover plate 3, and on top of this latter the usual center plate 4 and side bear- 1ngs 5 are secured and mounted. Instead of continuing the side portions of the bath-tub body outwardly in substantial alignment with the intermediate portions, I forge or press the end portions 6 outwardly as illustrated and provide spring seats 7 substantially as wide as the top cover plate, so that this construction provides wide spring seats 7 at the bolster ends, which, as illustrated, are adapted to receive five helical springs of large size suflicient for seventy-ton freight cars, or, i desired, these may be wide enough to receive six springs for eighty-five ton capacity cars, or the springs may be even larger or more numerous if desired, as my construction uses practically all the available space between the column guides for springs. The helical springs are 8, each of which preferably consists of an inner and an outer spring as customary, and these have sprung plates at the top and bottom and are secured together in a nest by a central bolt (not shown). As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the bolster ends are provided with panshaped diaphragms 9 mounted therein and riveted thereto by rivets 10, and at each end of the bolster I provide a column guide plate 11, which is bent in channel shape and provided with column guide portions 12 and outstanding ribs as illustrated, which ribs are adapted to contact with the sides of the truck column and hold the bolster from un due end movement and also to guide it in its up and down travel it moves on the springs with the load. The column guide plates 11 are secured to the bolster ends by means of the rivets 13.

My column guides may be either rolled, bent or forged or made of castings of the general forms shown, and secured to the other parts as illustrated.

Although I have shown and described my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to. be limited to the exact and specific details thereof, as shown and describedi but may use such modifications in, substitutions for, or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope of my invention, or as pointed out inthe claims. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: Y

1. A bath-tub type of bolster, the body portion of which is formed integrally, with two Webs spaced apart, upper outwardly projecting flanges and a lower member joining said webs, the ends being of a width substantially equal to that of the overall width of the flanges, thereby providing an integral wide spring seat, and combined col-,

umn; guides and, stiffeners of channel form adjacent thetop and sides of the ends. and secured thereto.

2. A bolster having apair of web portions spaced apart and joined by an integral lower member, said. webs, having integral outwardly projecting upper flanges extending from, their intermediate portions and joined by a cover plate secured thereto, the end portions of said web being spaced apart a greater distance than the, intermediate portions thereof, and the end portions of the lower member being of greater width than its intermediate portion, thereby providing a wide spring seat, and a combined column guide and stiffener of inverted trough shape with outstanding ribs surrounding the sides and top of the end portions and secured thereto.

3. A car bolster of the bath-tub type, including a body portion which is formed integrally with two webs spaced apart and. with upper outwardly projecting flangesv and a lower member joining said web portions, and the ends of the webs being spaced apart to a width. substantially equal to the overall width of the flanges, and the lower portions of the ends being of corresponding width, thereby providing integrally wide spring seats; combined column guides and stiiieners of channel form. adjacentv to; the top and sides of the bolster ends and. se-

cured thereto, and reinforcing members.

within the end portions of the bolster, secured thereto and tothe column guides;

In witness whereof I hereunto, afiix my signature. v

LOUIS: G. MILLER. 

